Morelia spilota cheynei or the Jungle Carpet Python

Adult Jungle Carpet Python feeds largely on mammals (such as possums and fruit bats) and birds. The hatchlings prey mainly on small lizards. During the warmer months these snakes are largely nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. During cooler weather they can be found on the move in the warmer daytime.

During the mating season, several males will often aggregate around a single female and fight with each other to see who gets to mate with her. Female Carpet Pythons will lay from 5 to 50 eggs, with larger females laying more eggs. As with other Australian pythons, the female will curl around her eggs mass while the eggs are incubating, but will not care for the young after they've hatched. The row of pits on the lower jaw are heat sensitive organs, enabling the python to sense warm-blooded prey in total darkness.

Did you know...

Jungle Carpet Pythons are found on the tablelands and ranges of north-eastern Queensland.